No More Black Republicans In The House?

One lost re-election, the other may be appointed to the Senate

The House Republicans' 2010 midterms sweeps included the election of two African-American GOP lawmakers. Two years later both may be gone.

Rep. Allen West is already on his way out the door. The bombastic Floridian lost his well-funded re-election bid. Rep. Tim Scott of South Carolina may be appointed to the Senate seat Republican Jim DeMint is vacating to become president of the Heritage Foundation.

In the modern era there have only been a handful of black Republicans to serve in the House. The elections of West and Scott marked the first African-American GOP-ers in eight years. And it was the first time two had served at the same time.

House Democrats have less-than-subtly raised the race issue in recent weeks. Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi has noted repeatedly that for the first time the House Democratic Caucus won't be made up of white males. And Democratic leaders have pointed out that most Republican committee chairman will be white guys.

Of course if Scott moves across the Capitol the House's loss would be the Senate's gain. There are currently no black senators, and only four have served in the modern era.

Politix analysis.

Does the Republican party need to diversify?

[ctc]

They've finally figured it out.....they're going "all in" on the Latino vote.

[mimi57]

What does four three mean? 43?...

[PNWest]

Angry old white guys made the GOP what it is today. America is better off when the GOP remains angry, old, white and stupid. That way the dems will stay in the majority and progress will continue to be made.

[mimi57]

But angry socialist black guys will fix the problems, right?... Yeah, I see that happening.LOL

[PNWest]

@mimi57 I'm glad you are finally coming to your senses. As I posted in another thread a little while ago:
DJIA when Obama was sworn in: 7,949.09 DJIA right now: 13,123.92. Any questions? Socialist and communist agenda indeed.

[HPthinker]

Angry Old White guys didn't get their way this go round, far as the economy goes, its still flimsy imho.

[mimi57]

@PNWest No surprise there. Tell me something new...

[martydotcom]

@mimi57 I believe the GOP has quite effectively dealt with each an every problem effectively what with all those Women appointed to committee chair's, one. They dealt with AA's with only one in congress, he's no bother to anyone..Hispanics, 73+ percent voted for Obama so who cares about them., Orientals 71% for Obama enough said.,They really snookered seniors who now see how the GOP wants to screw up Medicare. Even the Tea Party marched with signs "Don't Touch My Medicare"
I'd said they've got the formula damn near perfected, if only they could get rid of the one black guy and the one female committee chair in the house they have nailed the formula 100% A 100% guarantied losing formula. Who, by the way were the most recent cause to what you call "the problem."

[Nemesis3X]

They can't. As soon as one runs as a GOP'er they get attacked mercilessly by the left.

[mimi57]

Well, you can't have no Uncle Tom's trying to make changes...they're just not cool enough and don't party with the right people...or is that dudes?

[PNWest]

Boo Hoo Hoo. All of those meanie liberals would say not so nice things about black republicans. We would never say bad things about white republicans now would we?

[Nemesis3X]

@PNWest I guess you can call a white republican an Uncle Tom, but I don't think the results are the same. I thought under liberal logic those meanie liberals would be racists! The hypocrisy is amazing. But as long as the real sellouts like Jackson and Sharpton get theirs, all is well in the black community!

[PNWest]

@Nemesis3X I wouldn't call a black republican an Uncle Tom. That would be racist. That's your guys thing.

[Tralee]

You have a point, I had not considered that. Just look at how they treat Justice Thomas, Herman Cain, Condi Rice, Allen West and Walter Williams! And I guess one point I would like to make is; Do we have to color code everything now? I thought we had gotten past that, that the best person for the job was ideal, no matter color or gender. If having a partially Black president has returned us to the old non-color blind society, maybe it was a mistake to elect THIS type of person, one who will exploit any difference to divide us. What a sad footnote to his blurb in the book of presidents.

[MBernard]

I always thought that the blacks that associated themselves with the Republican Party did themselves a disservice.

[mimi57]

Why, sounds bigoted to me...

[martydotcom]

@mimi57 I think if you were ever talk to a black person one the subject you'll learn to the majority, If you are black and a Democrat, you are normal, but if you are black and a Republican, you are known as a Black Republican; synonymous to a black eye,Uncle Tom the black sheep or Sambo. That's how they're perceived by their own race.
Not that different from a being a Gay or Lesbian member of Log Cabin Republican's endorsing the Rick Santorum, or Romney wing.
It's not racist, its just incomprehensible

[mimi57]

@martydotcom How bigoted and racist is that? How sad for people who wish to rise above that mentality and
think for themselves, and not what is dictated to them by Sharpton, Jackson and the Black Caucus...It Divides
the races... and so explains why race relations have never been so bad. How sad !

[martydotcom]

@mimi57 why do find people who vote against their own self-interests sad. I find someone like Justice Thomas to be typical of the self hating black man. A man who is the product of the system he denies others access to; married to judicial conflict of interest wife, earning 1 mil + from a organization regarded to be racist by most.

[RobertJHarsh]

Finding a black man or woman with the Republicans fiscal conservative thinking and traditional values of a society is like the Trix bunny getting that cereal from those rotten kids. Black people typically are not well off, or even middle-middle class and do not vote for the low-tax, low-spending party because often they need support from the govt. It also doesn't help the GOP is typically racist anyway.

[mimi57]

So basically your saying they shouldn't leave the Plantation...the middle class black pop.is growing, and many have a mind of their own...and can make intelligent choices w/out the stereotype that they are ALL Libs., many
are college educated , so don't count them out yet...

[RobertJHarsh]

@mimi57 I am not saying that at all. What I am saying is Republicans need to be passing legislation to streamline small business development, restricting of gimmedats, and kicking out the Xitian fundies whom are racists against blacks and hate on gays. They should also end the wars on poverty, illiteracy, AIDS, and drugs since all of the legislation created to support those "wars" directly effect blacks and gays in a negative way.

[mimi57]

@RobertJHarsh So basically the elections are now centered around Gays and blacks?... So, not only is Special Interest an issue now, it is THE issue...

[RobertJHarsh]

@mimi57 That is correct. Special interests are what America is all about. Everyone is a victim and the republicans needs to collect their share of those victims. In a nutshell, the Democrats have a monopoly on victimization.

[mimi57]

@RobertJHarsh ...That they do...

[Malitia_Man]

Politix liberal racist at their best!!! Why must these Nazi liberals keep racial DIVISION alive?

[DerivePI]

Yes. All free loving, individuals welcome. You will be named Oreo cookies, uncle toms and worse by the left so thick skin is recommended. Leave your chains at the door, we detest all forms of slavery.

[Denizen_Kate]

You're right, there is a stigma. I don't like Michael Steele much, but I did feel bad for him when I heard reports of people rolling Oreo cookies down the aisles at his speaking engagements.

[DARSB]

Of the course the GOP needs to diversify - starting with the addition of competent pollsters. They have plenty of the not-competent type already.

[Dan_Tien]

There is only one Native American in the US Congress right now, Representative Tom Cole from Oklahoma, and he is a Republican. Maybe the Democrats could stand to diversify a bit, too.

[Denizen_Kate]

I think they should, but I'm not sure they can given the current circumstances. Perhaps if they distance themselves from the hard-line Tea Party contingent? Even if the GOP manages to gain a little diversity, I'm not sure it would help them in the short term. Their entire message and agenda need a revamp and a lot of clarification, IMO. If they focus on that, perhaps diversity will follow.

[KyleMFb]

Yes how they will obtain it who knows the Republican Party is nothing of what it use to be in the past its shameful

[WattheTyler]

Self hating uncle Tom Scott.

[Keyjo]

Does the G.O.P need to diversify?
Sure they need to! Silly question!
The more intelligent question is, "Will The Republican Party Diversify?"
But if they do, where will all the old white goats graze?

[tomincali]

not really. to me i could care less of the color of ones skin, for some it seems that is the only thing that matters or have a part in all things.

[commonsense51]

Gee what a shock, the black vote for Obama was about 93%. This is why Obama keeps Blacks on the welfare roles so they will continue to vote for Democrats every election. It's so sad that they are willing to take a menial life on welfare versus getting real jobs from an economy not strangled with taxes. I hope the day comes when people like Herman Cain, a black conservative can get elected in this nation so that Blacks can hear the other side of the story. Under the Democrat's racist charges against the GOP, they are total hypocrites because they insulted and trashed Cain during his campaign. They must be racists! A conservative Black President would be great for all African Americans hearing a Black man tell them that they do not have to drop out of school and sell drugs under the excuse of white control. His message would be stay in school, don't break the law, don't leave your children, don't play the victim any more. Work hard, show the employers that you are just as dependable as any person in America.

[FollowTheMoney]

So?...

[mudpike]

There are plenty of good Black Republicans , but they scare the leftist-socialists so bad, they quickly become the victims of 'trumped up' charges & attacks by the liberal mean-stream media. Herman Cain for example. Two other well educated & respected Black professors are shunned by liberal America are - Thomas Sowell & Walter Williams. Read their words - the media hides them for they simply cannot dispute their words by simply 'whining racist' to an educated Black man's views.

[jessejaymes]

Being neither Republican or Democrat, I have read all the comments here and I find this constant rock throwing at each other to be quite juvenile. The reality is quite simple. In states controlled by the GOP in the last redistricting the districts were drawn to ensure that large blocks of black voters in cities like Atlanta would have them split into various districts rather than one district. That's the spoils of war. When the Dems regain a state they do the same thing (redesign the districts) but there is still the problem that depending on who you believe, the black community is still only 11-13% of the population. Half of them are not old enough to vote. Another 20% are incarcerated or on felony probation/parole and not eligible to vote. That leaves about 3-5% of the entire black population legible to vote assuming all legible actually did so, which no group does. Assuming 5% of the population are black and legible to vote and about half on average for all groups do vote in a Presidential election year, that means that they constitute about 2.5% of the total vote in any given area on average. You don't win many elections with 2.5% of the electorate in a gerrymandered drawn district. That's why it's absurd for the right to wail about 70%+ of blacks voted for Obama. So what? They are almost insignificant in national elections.

[Tralee]

No, it's probably the opposite, perhaps Blacks who vote 95% democrat party who need to take a look around them and see just what their blind loyalty to the D-Party has gotten them. The wonderful public education in the Dem. controlled inner cities? How about all those jobs created by Obama and the dems.? Hmmm, let's see, oh, yeah the low abortion rate among Black women? Hmmm, what about all those vouchers for a better school in places like NYC, Detroit, Chicago, LA and DC? Oh dear, right, sorry folks, none of those things has happened. So what have the large cities and states run by the D's have done what to reward the Black community for their loyalty all these years? Waiting patiently for that list of wonders. See, the progressives love the Black community, they love them getting just enough to get by, to not get ahead, to be a permanent underclass needing government and more government as the years go by, as someone pretty famous said, Progressives love their Black Community, especially when they stay on the Plantation.